This invention is in the general field of hammocks, more particularly, it is a lightweight portable hammock permitting a user to quickly and easily assemble the hammock between any two fixed objects. Further, the lightweight portable hammock permits convenient disassembly, storage and transport.
It is generally accepted that the origins of the hammock began nearly 1,000 years ago in Central America by the Mayan Indians. Today, approximately 500,000 to 2,000,000 hammocks are sold yearly in North America. Incredibly, very few changes in hammock design have occurred over the last 1,000 years. However, the present invention is designed to permit easy use and transport of hammocks.
Hammocks are normally attached to, and supported by, two adjacent trees or two poles inserted into the ground. When poles or stakes are used as hammock supports the process of constructing the hammock can be tedious and unrewarding. In many cases, the poles simply do not provide ample support for one or two persons to lounge in the hammock. Further, inserting poles or stakes into the ground and attaching guidelines is not an easy task.
As evidenced by relevant hammock patents, needed is a hammock easy to configure, transport and capable of use in alternative locations. Many U.S. Patents covering hammocks and their design issued prior to 1950. The older filed and issued patents confirm that relatively few novel changes have been made to hammocks over the past half century.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,159,192 (the ""192 Patent) is directed to a support for hammocks. The ""192 Patent requires two supports in the form of bars, a hinge apparatus, bracing members and buried ground stakes. The hammock support described in the ""192 Patent is typical of prior hammock designs in that the hammock rests between two rigidly fixed objects by means of a complicated support structure. The arrangement disclosed in the ""192 Patent is complicated by the ground stakes which are used to prevent the posts from collapsing inward based on the weight of a person lying in the hammock.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,257,984 (the ""984 Patent) entitled xe2x80x9cField Bedxe2x80x9d claims a support structure including a simple post and cable arrangement also typical of past hammocks. The simple arrangement disclosed in the ""984 Patent is subject to a high rate of failure since the posts tend to collapse inward based on the weight of a person lying in the hammock.
Several issued U.S. Patents are dedicated to hammocks supported in part by an automobile or motorcycle. The intent of these patents is to provide for a more versatile hammock.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,524,499 (the ""499 Patent) discloses a hammock that is supported by an automobile and a dual leg arrangement. As with many hammocks, the ""499 Patent utilizes legs for support. As mentioned previously, leg supports, are generally subject to a high failure rate. The leg supports suggested by the ""499 Patent will inherently collapse inward requiring the addition of a horizontal support bar between the automobile and the leg support. The addition of the support bar complicates the design and its overall appeal.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,857,230 (the ""230 Patent) discloses a hammock supported by a motorcycle and jack. It is apparent from the drawings of the ""230 Patent that the hammock is uncomfortable for a person of normal height. Moreover, the design includes an inherently unstable jack arrangement akin to past pole support hammock arrangements.
Applicant""s invention permits a user to quickly and easily configure a stable hammock between any two rigid support objects. In one embodiment the portable hammock disclosed is supported between a motorcycle, car or the like and a second rigid support object such as a tree. However, the use of the portable hammock is limited only by the discovery of two adjacent support objects.
An object of the present invention is to provide a stable portable hammock.
Another object of the present invention is to permit convenient transport of a hammock for use during travel or hiking.
Another object of the present invention is to permit a motorcycle, car or the like to be used as at least one support object of the hammock.
A further object is to provide a portable hammock capable of easy disassembly during non-use.
According to the present invention, a portable hammock includes leg standards, securing straps, flexible hammock support material and means to removably connect the flexible hammock material to the leg standards.
In a preferred embodiment two hollow tubular legs and a rigid member form a a leg standard. The rigid member includes two remote tubular extensions on a bottom surface for insertion into top openings of the tubular legs. The remote tubular extensions are positioned near either end of the rigid member and have a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the top openings of the legs.
Telescoping legs allow the portable hammock to be easily constructed and transported. When fully extended, three leg sections are held in place by means of holes and resilient pins. The outer section includes two holes separated by 180 degrees and the middle section includes two resilient pins which during extension align with, and insert into, the two holes in the outer section. In a similar arrangement, the middle section includes two holes. separated by 180 degrees and the inner section includes two resilient pins which during extension align with, and insert into, the two holes in the middle section.
Leg standards are formed when the remote tubular extensions are inserted into a top opening of the fully extended hollow tubular legs. Friction provides for a secure connection and allows a user to dismantle easily. Those skilled in the art will recognize that friction is only one of a vast number of methods of securing the legs to the rigid member. The leg standards provide the support in reaction to the weight of a user. Each leg is fitted with non-slip feet. The non-slip feet contact the ground during use of the portable hammock providing a stable hammock arrangement.
The rigid member further includes three voids to receive securing strap hooks and hammock hooks. Outer voids on each end of the rigid member are positioned between the remote tubular extensions and opposite outer edges of the rigid member. A center void is positioned between the two remote tubular extensions. The positioning of the voids provides an extremely stable hammock arrangement.
Securing straps and hooks allow the portable hammock to be used in nearly any location provided two fixed objects are available. A buckle disposed between two securing straps allows the length of the straps to be adjusted. The buckle includes a clamp for securing the strap during use. Hooks on a first end of the securing straps attach to the fixed objects and hooks on a second end of the securing straps attach to the center void of the rigid member. The arrangement permits versatility and prevents collapse of the portable hammock during use.
Flexible hammock support material includes a first end and a second end. Each end of the support material includes loops of material which encase portions of a hollow strap rod. The hollow strap rods comprise two sections removably coupled by a dowel. The dowel extends from an opening in a first section and is inserted into an opening of the second section forming the hollow strap rod. The diameter of the dowel is slightly less than the diameter of the second section providing a tight coupling. During non-use the user can easily dismantle the hollow strap rods for storage and transport.
Hammock straps are used to connect the flexible hammock material to the rigid member. Two hammock straps are connected to each section of the assembled hollow strap rods. Each hammock strap is threaded through an eye of a hammock hook, one for each section of the hollow strap rods, prior to being connected to, or wrapped around, the hollow strap rods. Thus four hammock hooks are utilized by the present invention. The hammock hooks include a resilient toggle rotatably connected to the hook adjacent the eye creating a. defined void with the hook. Each hammock hook is inserted through an outer void in the rigid members such that the resilient toggle and hook engage the rigid member. The resilient toggle prevents the hooks from accidentally disengaging with the rigid member. To disengage the hook the toggle is depressed providing an opening to remove the hook from the rigid member.
The legs removably coupled to the rigid member, telescoping legs and removably coupled hollow strap rod sections render the present design easy to construct and dismantle for storage and transport. Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.